While we may not have the best known rap scene in the country, Dallas does enjoy an abundance of artists and fans who take pride in the city's hip-hop traditions. The support and closeness of the scene helped fuel Saturday's return of a legendary rapper and producer, the D.O.C., to a hometown stage for his first live performance in 20 years.
Dubbed "Straight Outta Dallas," the D.O.C.'s red-carpet concert and event at the Bomb Factory featured a long list of local artists and collaborators. Cameras were filming the event for an upcoming documentary about the artist (born Tracy Lynn Curry).
A crucial collaborator and associate of N.W.A. in the late '80s, Curry released his first solo record in 1989, No One Can Do It Better, which went No.1 on the hip-hop charts. But later that year everything changed when he suffered what seemed to be irreversible injuries to his vocal chords in a near-fatal car accident.
Sidelined from the mike, Curry began ghostwriting and producing for fellow artists such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on blockbuster albums such The Chronic and Doggystyle.
Now Curry's story is represented in this year's N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton. He's also announced that his speaking voice might be making a comeback.
After a few hours of sets on Saturday performed by other acts including A.Dd+, Lil Wil, Dorrough, Fat Pimp and Mr. Pookie, Curry stepped onstage to an overwhelmingly warm welcome from the crowd.
Before uttering a word or laying down a rhyme, he stood in the spotlight and took it all in -- the love he was being shown by the energized crowd and the throngs of fellow artists that lined the stage. Then he let music do the talking. Flashes of his signature rasp peaked through as he rapped and gestured to his pivotal tracks "The Formula" and "It's Funky Enough."
The D.O.C. was accompanied by a swarm of other rappers and artists including Erykah Badu and the Houston legend Scarface. The audience couldn't contain itself at points, shouting out lines and building on the natural high the appearances created.
He dedicated a rendition of the late Eazy-E's track, "Boyz-n-the-Hood" to another fallen artist, Nate Dogg, as he continued to assist on rapid-fire verses.
The good vibes that filled the room proved it didn't matter how much the D.O.C. was or wasn't contributing vocally. What mattered was that he stepped onstage and showed that he isn't done yet.
Whether he's helping other artists such as Dallas' own Justus get music heard or working on his return to the spotlight, the D.O.C. knows he has a lot more to offer to this hip-hop community.
